Young people in Cambodia are less likely to vote than people over 25.
A United Nations Development Programme funded project aims to change that.
Loy9 started broadcasting on 15 January 2012. The show includes a phone-in radio programme, TV magazine show, drama, web interaction and live games.
UN figures compiled during the 2008 National Assembly elections showed that 69% of voters under 24-years-old turned out to vote compared to 88% of the general electorate.
This is significant given two million Cambodians will reach voting age in 2012. June will see their first chance to vote in the Commune Council elections. The National Assembly elections follow in 2013.
Lack of participation isn’t restricted to voting. Few Cambodians think young people should have their say on issues around running the country.
The show aims to change that. It tells the stories of people who have contributed to their communities and shows how they can be copied. This sentiment is summed up in its name, Loy9, which is a slang term of praise among young Cambodians.
A key part of the show is the Bright Spots. These are films of inspiring young people like Hout Khem. She is a former charcoal burner who turned her life around to become an environmental tour guide.
Express yourself
One such Bright Spot ended up becoming Loy9’s digital manager, in charge of the programme’s social media.
Blogger Kounila Keo was spotted by the Loy9 team when she gave a talk at the global forum for innovators TEDX.
Ms Keo is keen to change her peers’ attitudes. “I noticed that young people lack participation in their civic life. That includes political and social life. I think that we all need these things in our lives to be a complete human.”
Specifically, Ms Keo thinks the opportunity to participate in political and social life, the chance to express oneself and the prospect of living in a safe society that provides enough space for people to express themselves are all vital.
“Somebody has to be a politician or somebody has to be famous to be able express an opinion,” she explains. “Expressing oneself shouldn’t be a privilege, it’s a right.”
Hand walker
Those not afraid to express themselves are the contributors to the TV show’s segment Talent of the Week. The performances can range from the elegantly beautiful fusion dancing to the slightly bizarre hand walking. All the talents displayed intend to show individuality and illustrate that if you work on something hard enough you can get really good at it.
Ms Keo points to older people’s fear to explain why young people are afraid to speak up.
“They are afraid because their parents have been saying things like ‘don’t talk in public about politics whatsoever because it’s dangerous for you and you have to stay away from that’.”
Young Cambodians don’t just lack confidence. They also don’t have the basic knowledge needed should they wish to have their say.
BBC Media Action research suggests that people have limited understanding of what the National Assembly or the Commune Council actually do.
The shows endeavour to get across a few basic facts. The audience should come away knowing that the Commune Council, as their local representative, is their first port of call and democracy is something which happens when the people make the decisions.
